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Fatal fire

Five die in Minneapolis blaze

Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoElizabeth Flores | (Minneapolis) Star TribuneMinneapolis firefighters respond to an early morning fire at a duplex. At least three children were among the five dead yesterday.

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MINNEAPOLIS — Brandi Craig awoke before dawn yesterday to a desperate scene as firefighters
smashed their way into a duplex that was engulfed in flames across the street in her north
Minneapolis neighborhood. Tenants, including a family with seven young children, shouted for
help.

“They were all screaming,” Craig said, her face twisting with emotion. “Once they stopped
screaming, it was over.”

The fire killed five people, including at least three children, and injured several others,
officials said. The cause of the blaze was being investigated, though fire officials say it
appeared to have started on the second floor. The names of the victims were not released.

Among those injured was Troy Lewis, according to neighbors and his landlord. Lewis was in
serious condition last night at Hennepin County Medical Center. The conditions of the others who
remained hospitalized were not immediately available.

Craig said Lewis’ wife died in November after an illness, and he lived in the upper level with
seven children, ages 1 to 9.

Craig said that just the night before, she and her fiance had stopped by to give the kids some
soft drinks.

“We gave them hugs and kisses and told them we’d see them in the morning,” she said.

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel said three children died at the scene. The Hennepin County
medical examiner’s office later confirmed the two additional deaths but did not release any
information about the victims. Fire officials said 15 people lived in the duplex.

It took firefighters about 2 1/2 hours to put out the blaze.

Fruetel said investigators were still trying yesterday to determine a cause, but it appeared the
fire started on the second floor, in the center of the building. He said a space heater was found
on that floor, but he didn’t know if it was in use before the fire began.

He said the building was up to code and smoke detectors appeared to be working.